Chief Minister MK Stalin-led government presented its maiden budget on Friday. In the revised-budget for 2021-22, the government made a slew of announcements for the capital city of the state.
Minister for Finance and Human Resource PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, who presented the budget at the Kalaivanar Arangam, said the government’s pet project ‘Singara Chennai 2.0’will be launched for ‘a clean and green’ Chennai. The government has allocated Rs 500 crore to implement this scheme.
In his budget speech, Thiagarajan said the city will be free of wall posters. The announcements come in the backdrop of the Greater Chennai Coproration’s initiative to remove posters defacing walls in public places.
The Finance Minister announced that new flyovers and overbridges will be constructed at three places in the city — Ganesapuram subway, at the intersection of Konnur High Road-Strahans Road and at South Usman Road — at an estimated cost of Rs.335 crore
He also said that Chennai Metro services from Kodambakkam to Poonamalle would commence by June 2025. The government has assured to complete the entire Phase II project of the Metro by December 2026. Further, the Phase-I extension from Airport to Kilambakkam Bus Terminus via Tambaram is also set to be completed soon.
The government has promised to provide an ‘Underground Sewerage’ system to all the added areas of Chennai city at a total cost of Rs.2,056 crore. The scheme, to prevent outflow of sewage into waterways in Chennai, will be vigorously implemented at a total cost of Rs.2,371 crore.
A Feasibility Report is also set to be prepared for transmitting Krishna water through pipelines from Andhra Pradesh to the reservoirs of Chennai.
The Chennai City Partnership Programme is also set to be launched with assistance from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank soon.
In the budget, it was noted that the government will take steps to revive the Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai. The Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi Semmozhi Tamil Award, which has not been presented since 2010, will hereafter be awarded on June 3rd every year with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
The Kasimedu Fishing Harbour would be upgraded at a total cost of Rs.150 crore in association with Chennai Port Trust. A total sum of Rs.433.97 crore has been allocated for construction of fishing harbours and fish landing centres in the budget Rs.143.46 crore has been allocated for improvement to fish landing facilities.
To improve the Industry cover, the budget has envisaged a Fintech city to be developed in two phases, at Nandambakkam and Kavanur. The first phase will be developed at Nandambakkam at an estimated cost of Rs.165 crore.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/tamil-nadu-budget-2021-chennai-7452561/
